"Through everything I've been through, he's been like a second dad to me," Jon Lester said of his manager, Terry Francona.

BOSTON -- Imagine the emotion that Red Sox manager Terry Francona has experienced over the span of a couple of days. Following Sunday's victory over the Brewers, Francona hustled to Pennsylvania to watch his son, Nick, graduate from college.

He hustled back to Boston on Monday in time to watch Jon Lester throw a no-hitter against the Royals at Fenway Park for a 7-0 win.

Francona only has one son, but of all the members of his team, Lester is probably the one who feels like a second.

"This probably isn't fair to say, but I feel like my son graduated and my [other] son threw a no-hitter," Francona said. "It couldn't happen to a better kid. It's probably selfish on my part to even say something like that, but I think it's obvious how we feel about this kid."

When Lester was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma in late August 2006, Francona was crushed. But he didn't let Lester see that. Instead, he supported him as much as he could and also kept in frequent contact with Lester's parents.

After going through six chemotherapy treatments, Lester made it to Spring Training on time in 2007, though he wouldn't pitch in a Major League game until July. During that entire season, he formed a bond with his manager.

"Through everything I've been through, he's been like a second dad to me," Lester said. "Just being able to talk to him not as a manager but as a friend, he cares a lot about his players. It's not just about what you can do on the field, it's what type of person you are and he cares a lot about that."

When informed by the media that Lester referred to him as a second dad, Francona's eyes looked like they could have gotten moist again without much prodding.

"I take that as a huge compliment," Francona said. "He's a wonderful kid, not because he threw a no-hitter. He's a good kid because he's a good kid. We're proud of him all the time, but to watch him do that tonight was beyond words. I'm trying to put it in words, but it's hard because -- what a story. To see him do that, you feel like a proud parent. I know we have no right to say that, but it's probably how we feel."

Taking equal joy in the triumph was Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell. He has spent hours with Lester, trying to help a young and promising pitcher gain consistency.

"He's a wonderful kid, not because he threw a no-hitter. He's a good kid because he's a good kid. We're proud of him all the time, but to watch him do that tonight was beyond words. I'm trying to put it in words, but it's hard because -- what a story. To see him do that, you feel like a proud parent."

-- Manager Terry Francona, on Jon Lester

Over the winter, Lester's name was involved in several trade talks with the Twins regarding left-handed ace Johan Santana. Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein wound up hanging on to Lester and Santana went to the Mets.

Though anyone would welcome a pitcher like Santana, Farrell and Francona were two of the happiest people not to have to say good-bye to Lester.

"I think we all knew the talent and potential that Jon has and continues to become more consistent with," said Farrell. "But anytime you have young pitching of that talent, pitching is such a hard thing to acquire, particularly above-average Major League pitching talent, and to know that we're talking about two guys in their early 20s with long careers ahead of them, it certainly bodes well for not only the present but the future of a rotation that should be together for a long time."

As the ninth inning was unfolding, the magnitude of the moment started catching up to Francona. Not that he was alone.

"I looked up in the ninth and you're trying to keep your emotions in check, and I went to say something to John Farrell and he was being a big baby next to me," said Francona. "It made me feel a little bit better."

"Through everything I've been through, he's been like a second dad to me," Jon Lester said of his manager, Terry Francona.

BOSTON -- Imagine the emotion that Red Sox manager Terry Francona has experienced over the span of a couple of days. Following Sunday's victory over the Brewers, Francona hustled to Pennsylvania to watch his son, Nick, graduate from college.

He hustled back to Boston on Monday in time to watch Jon Lester throw a no-hitter against the Royals at Fenway Park for a 7-0 win.

Francona only has one son, but of all the members of his team, Lester is probably the one who feels like a second.

"This probably isn't fair to say, but I feel like my son graduated and my [other] son threw a no-hitter," Francona said. "It couldn't happen to a better kid. It's probably selfish on my part to even say something like that, but I think it's obvious how we feel about this kid."

When Lester was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma in late August 2006, Francona was crushed. But he didn't let Lester see that. Instead, he supported him as much as he could and also kept in frequent contact with Lester's parents.

After going through six chemotherapy treatments, Lester made it to Spring Training on time in 2007, though he wouldn't pitch in a Major League game until July. During that entire season, he formed a bond with his manager.

"Through everything I've been through, he's been like a second dad to me," Lester said. "Just being able to talk to him not as a manager but as a friend, he cares a lot about his players. It's not just about what you can do on the field, it's what type of person you are and he cares a lot about that."

When informed by the media that Lester referred to him as a second dad, Francona's eyes looked like they could have gotten moist again without much prodding.

"I take that as a huge compliment," Francona said. "He's a wonderful kid, not because he threw a no-hitter. He's a good kid because he's a good kid. We're proud of him all the time, but to watch him do that tonight was beyond words. I'm trying to put it in words, but it's hard because -- what a story. To see him do that, you feel like a proud parent. I know we have no right to say that, but it's probably how we feel."

Taking equal joy in the triumph was Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell. He has spent hours with Lester, trying to help a young and promising pitcher gain consistency.

"He's a wonderful kid, not because he threw a no-hitter. He's a good kid because he's a good kid. We're proud of him all the time, but to watch him do that tonight was beyond words. I'm trying to put it in words, but it's hard because -- what a story. To see him do that, you feel like a proud parent."

-- Manager Terry Francona, on Jon Lester

Over the winter, Lester's name was involved in several trade talks with the Twins regarding left-handed ace Johan Santana. Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein wound up hanging on to Lester and Santana went to the Mets.

Though anyone would welcome a pitcher like Santana, Farrell and Francona were two of the happiest people not to have to say good-bye to Lester.

"I think we all knew the talent and potential that Jon has and continues to become more consistent with," said Farrell. "But anytime you have young pitching of that talent, pitching is such a hard thing to acquire, particularly above-average Major League pitching talent, and to know that we're talking about two guys in their early 20s with long careers ahead of them, it certainly bodes well for not only the present but the future of a rotation that should be together for a long time."

As the ninth inning was unfolding, the magnitude of the moment started catching up to Francona. Not that he was alone.

"I looked up in the ninth and you're trying to keep your emotions in check, and I went to say something to John Farrell and he was being a big baby next to me," said Francona. "It made me feel a little bit better."

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Don't get me wrong. Feel great for the kid. I couldn't even fathom going through what he did, coming back, and throwing a no hitter to solidify a place in Fenway History.

But at the same time as a Yanks fan, I just know every Sox fan that I know of text messaged me last night saying

"LOL @ the Yanks" "Lesters the man" "No Hitter" "Sorry, Yanks are no more, Bostons the best" and so on...

Living in Fort Myers, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of Sox fans thanks to a couple of Series wins, rings, and bandwagons. I don't even care if the Yanks dont do it, I would just like another team to knock them off their high horse. The Red Sox that is, not Lester. Hmm... Maybe Rays can come back around and win it all while sending the Sox down to the cellar with the Yanks for a while.

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Don't get me wrong. Feel great for the kid. I couldn't even fathom going through what he did, coming back, and throwing a no hitter to solidify a place in Fenway History.

But at the same time as a Yanks fan, I just know every Sox fan that I know of text messaged me last night saying

"LOL @ the Yanks" "Lesters the man" "No Hitter" "Sorry, Yanks are no more, Bostons the best" and so on...

Living in Fort Myers, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of Sox fans thanks to a couple of Series wins, rings, and bandwagons. I don't even care if the Yanks dont do it, I would just like another team to knock them off their high horse. The Red Sox that is, not Lester. Hmm... Maybe Rays can come back around and win it all while sending the Sox down to the cellar with the Yanks for a while.

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Don't get me wrong. Feel great for the kid. I couldn't even fathom going through what he did, coming back, and throwing a no hitter to solidify a place in Fenway History.

But at the same time as a Yanks fan, I just know every Sox fan that I know of text messaged me last night saying

"LOL @ the Yanks" "Lesters the man" "No Hitter" "Sorry, Yanks are no more, Bostons the best" and so on...

Living in Fort Myers, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of Sox fans thanks to a couple of Series wins, rings, and bandwagons. I don't even care if the Yanks dont do it, I would just like another team to knock them off their high horse. The Red Sox that is, not Lester. Hmm... Maybe Rays can come back around and win it all while sending the Sox down to the cellar with the Yanks for a while.

Maybe those bandwagon fans need to be knocked off their high horse.

The rest of us have been waiting a long time for this kind of a run.

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Can you guys at least get rid of Manny and Beckett. One thing to be good. It's another to know your good and flaunt it like those 2 do sometimes. (Not saying some Yanks don't but there's a couple of them I wouldn't mind leaving either.)

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Can you guys at least get rid of Manny and Beckett. One thing to be good. It's another to know your good and flaunt it like those 2 do sometimes. (Not saying some Yanks don't but there's a couple of them I wouldn't mind leaving either.)

Beckett????

Manny is one of those guys people hate when he's not playing for their team, but if he did play for your team, you'd love him. With him comes good and bad but the good usually out weighs the bad. He's like a big kid out there playing a game that he happens to be good at and his personality is pretty important to the chemistry in the club house because to him, baseball is just a game. A game he gets paid millions of dollars to play.

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Can you guys at least get rid of Manny and Beckett. One thing to be good. It's another to know your good and flaunt it like those 2 do sometimes. (Not saying some Yanks don't but there's a couple of them I wouldn't mind leaving either.)

Beckett????

Manny is one of those guys people hate when he's not playing for their team, but if he did play for your team, you'd love him. With him comes good and bad but the good usually out weighs the bad. He's like a big kid out there playing a game that he happens to be good at and his personality is pretty important to the chemistry in the club house because to him, baseball is just a game. A game he gets paid millions of dollars to play.

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They may have to break out the jackhammers at the new Yankee Stadium again.

Keith Olbermann reported on MSNBC's Countdown last night that the same construction worker who buried a David Ortiz jersey in cement at the new stadium has told friends he also buried a scorecard from the 2004 American League Championship Series there. That playoff was where Ortiz and the Red Sox rebounded from an 0-3 deficit to beat the Yankees before going on to win the World Series.

"And he isn't telling anybody where," Olbermann said of Gino Castignoli's alleged additional attempt to jinx the Yankees. "That could pose a problem. The new park is pretty big."

Olbermann talked with Newsday and said he couldn't reveal the source of his information beyond it being "a friend of the aforementioned cement mason." He also told the newspaper he has been getting tips on the story for the past week, but didn't have a second source until yesterday. "He's shooting his bazoo off," Olbermann said.

The Ortiz jersey was excavated April 13 amid threats of a lawsuit by the Yankees. Authorities declined to prosecute.

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They may have to break out the jackhammers at the new Yankee Stadium again.

Keith Olbermann reported on MSNBC's Countdown last night that the same construction worker who buried a David Ortiz jersey in cement at the new stadium has told friends he also buried a scorecard from the 2004 American League Championship Series there. That playoff was where Ortiz and the Red Sox rebounded from an 0-3 deficit to beat the Yankees before going on to win the World Series.

"And he isn't telling anybody where," Olbermann said of Gino Castignoli's alleged additional attempt to jinx the Yankees. "That could pose a problem. The new park is pretty big."

Olbermann talked with Newsday and said he couldn't reveal the source of his information beyond it being "a friend of the aforementioned cement mason." He also told the newspaper he has been getting tips on the story for the past week, but didn't have a second source until yesterday. "He's shooting his bazoo off," Olbermann said.

The Ortiz jersey was excavated April 13 amid threats of a lawsuit by the Yankees. Authorities declined to prosecute.

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New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez is considering retirement after this season, according to the New York Daily News.

The veteran right-hander cited concerns over his 78-year-old father's failing health. Pablo Martinez is currently suffering from a form of brain cancer.

"It's taking a toll on me and my family, my dad's situation," Martinez told the Daily News. "I haven't been there for them. I just realized that between last year and this year, I haven't been there for my family, my parents.

"That'll probably drag me away from the game a little sooner than people expect."

The 36-year-old Martinez, who is currently rehabbing an injured left hamstring at the Mets' minor league facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida, plans to make a final decision after the season.

"After this season, I'm going to go back home and think about it and I'm going to decide," Martinez added.

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New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez is considering retirement after this season, according to the New York Daily News.

The veteran right-hander cited concerns over his 78-year-old father's failing health. Pablo Martinez is currently suffering from a form of brain cancer.

"It's taking a toll on me and my family, my dad's situation," Martinez told the Daily News. "I haven't been there for them. I just realized that between last year and this year, I haven't been there for my family, my parents.

"That'll probably drag me away from the game a little sooner than people expect."

The 36-year-old Martinez, who is currently rehabbing an injured left hamstring at the Mets' minor league facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida, plans to make a final decision after the season.

"After this season, I'm going to go back home and think about it and I'm going to decide," Martinez added.

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LOL.... 9-0 ENTERING the bottom of the 2nd. This is fantastic. I don't know who to blame more, Mussina or Jeter.

Moose is ready to hang them up. Jeter, I love, but he is NOT a great SS anymore. I was hoping we can nab Tulo but he resigned with the Rocks. And so did Hanley Ramirez. Just not good times, even with Agod in there.

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LOL.... 9-0 ENTERING the bottom of the 2nd. This is fantastic. I don't know who to blame more, Mussina or Jeter.

Moose is ready to hang them up. Jeter, I love, but he is NOT a great SS anymore. I was hoping we can nab Tulo but he resigned with the Rocks. And so did Hanley Ramirez. Just not good times, even with Agod in there.

Holy cow, I thought I read the box score wrong. Did Mussina get pulled in the 1st?????

You're a good fan C23, things cant get much worse and if they do, the changes that need to be made will come.

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LOL.... 9-0 ENTERING the bottom of the 2nd. This is fantastic. I don't know who to blame more, Mussina or Jeter.

Moose is ready to hang them up. Jeter, I love, but he is NOT a great SS anymore. I was hoping we can nab Tulo but he resigned with the Rocks. And so did Hanley Ramirez. Just not good times, even with Agod in there.

Holy cow, I thought I read the box score wrong. Did Mussina get pulled in the 1st?????

You're a good fan C23, things cant get much worse and if they do, the changes that need to be made will come.

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Mussina came out after 2/3 of an inning. 2/3!!!!! And Ohlendorf is only a semi good RP. Man... Igawa, Mussina, Pavano... IPK and Hughes need to come up BIG. IPK needs it now. Hughes when he comes back of course. I know it'll be a matter of time before Hank demands a trade of some sorts.

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Mussina came out after 2/3 of an inning. 2/3!!!!! And Ohlendorf is only a semi good RP. Man... Igawa, Mussina, Pavano... IPK and Hughes need to come up BIG. IPK needs it now. Hughes when he comes back of course. I know it'll be a matter of time before Hank demands a trade of some sorts.

Who's your long reliever? Tavarez is available

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Mussina came out after 2/3 of an inning. 2/3!!!!! And Ohlendorf is only a semi good RP. Man... Igawa, Mussina, Pavano... IPK and Hughes need to come up BIG. IPK needs it now. Hughes when he comes back of course. I know it'll be a matter of time before Hank demands a trade of some sorts.

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New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez is considering retirement after this season, according to the New York Daily News.

The veteran right-hander cited concerns over his 78-year-old father's failing health. Pablo Martinez is currently suffering from a form of brain cancer.

"It's taking a toll on me and my family, my dad's situation," Martinez told the Daily News. "I haven't been there for them. I just realized that between last year and this year, I haven't been there for my family, my parents.

"That'll probably drag me away from the game a little sooner than people expect."

The 36-year-old Martinez, who is currently rehabbing an injured left hamstring at the Mets' minor league facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida, plans to make a final decision after the season.

"After this season, I'm going to go back home and think about it and I'm going to decide," Martinez added.

Paaaleaseeee Retire Pedro!

Never been to fond of tin man and wasn't thrilled when they brought him to NY for that price. I still don't like our middle relief and think they should work on that, then again I don't think any MLB team really likes there middle relief.

And the Red Sox really need to improve on getting more no hitters... 4 of the last 6 is crazy.

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Never been to fond of tin man and wasn't thrilled when they brought him to NY for that price. I still don't like our middle relief and think they should work on that, then again I don't think any MLB team really likes there middle relief.

And the Red Sox really need to improve on getting more no hitters... 4 of the last 6 is crazy.

Really, they have the 4 out of the last 6????? Hmmmm....would Varitek be the common denominator?

How bout those Rays, still keeping pace.

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Never been to fond of tin man and wasn't thrilled when they brought him to NY for that price. I still don't like our middle relief and think they should work on that, then again I don't think any MLB team really likes there middle relief.

And the Red Sox really need to improve on getting more no hitters... 4 of the last 6 is crazy.

Really, they have the 4 out of the last 6????? Hmmmm....would Varitek be the common denominator?

How bout those Rays, still keeping pace.

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I had absolutely no idea the Red Sox were this stacked with pitching in the minors. Even if only 3 of these guys pan out (we know Lester and Masterson will and Im optimistic that Bucholtz will settle down), the Red Sox are sitting pretty comfortably

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I had absolutely no idea the Red Sox were this stacked with pitching in the minors. Even if only 3 of these guys pan out (we know Lester and Masterson will and Im optimistic that Bucholtz will settle down), the Red Sox are sitting pretty comfortably